Somebody re-cut the awful, ponderous trailer for Zack Snyder’s BATMAN v. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016) with the decidedly non-ponderous Christopher Reeve as Superman and Adam West as Batman.

Cinema geek Bobby Burns on YouTube intercut scenes from Richard Donner’s SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978) and Richard Lester’s SUPERMAN II (1980) with the Batman film Fox released in the summer of 1966 to capitalize on the runaway success of the TV show. (Despite what some outlets have reported, there are no clips from the Adam West TV series, which debuted in January of 1966 on ABC, in this parody, just the movie spin-off.)

Also featured from Leslie H. Martinson’s BATMAN (1966): Burt Ward as Robin, Lee Meriwether as Catwoman (in disguise as Soviet journalist Miss Kitka from “The Moscow Bugle”), and the Batmobile, Bat-Copter, and Bat-Signal. The unforgettable “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb!” scene also gets its moment, as does a sample of the theme song.

From SUPERMAN II we see Terence Stamp as General Zod, Jack O’Halloran as Non, and Tony Sibbald as the aide who attempts to protect the president (E.G. Marshall) from the Kryptonian renegades. (Marshall’s president is visible as well, hiding in the back of the oval office protected by his staff.) We also catch a glimpse of Margot Kidder’s arm from the 1978 film, as Superman takes Lois Lane on the best first date ever. And Burns gets around the lack of fight scenes between Reeve and West by using a quick shot of the battle between Superman and Non at the Fortress of Solitude in SUPERMAN II.

Sadly, Christopher Reeve and Adam West never got a chance to team up before Reeve’s untimely death in 2004 at the age of 52. But this parody gives us a glimpse of the non-ponderous fun we all could have had if they did. It also serves as a reminder that lighthearted approaches to these iconic characters have stood the test of time. Somebody at Warner Bros. needs to remember that, as they continue to make the feature film versions of Batman and Superman mopey and depressing.

Just a reminder: “Batman” (1966-68, ABC) is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Warner Home Video. It is truly fun for the whole family.

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

About willmckinley

I'm a New York City-based writer, video producer, print journalist, radio/podcast host, and social media influencer. I've been a guest on Turner Classic Movies (interviewed by Robert Osborne), NPR, Sirius Satellite Radio, and the official TCM podcast. My byline has appeared in Slate.com and more than 100 times in the pages of NYC alt weeklies like The Villager and Gay City News. I'm also a social media copywriter for Sony's getTV and a contributor to four film-and-TV-related books: "Monster Serial," "Bride of Monster Serial," "Taste the Blood of Monster Serial," and "Remembering Jonathan Frid."

I didn’t even see the last few DC films, and I’m a comic book fan from way back. The parody trailer reminds me what I liked about Superman and Batman, while the new movies and their trailers just turn me away. Thanks for posting this, Will!

I’m sorry but this “parody” reminds me of everything I never want to see again in a Superman much less a Batman movie. I’ll be first in line to see BvS when it’s released on my b’day weekend next year because at 46 I’ll be discerning enough to know that Adam West’s time is past and the late Christopher Reeve has passed on so it’s time and space for new interpretations. Maybe one day, the so-called fans of these characters will allow these new versions to breathe instead of boohooing because other fans and creators like Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan see more than zany, broad comedy in these characters that was passe’ in 1982.

I’m all for well-done updates of classic movies and TV shows I enjoy, but iconic characters require special care, particularly when their success for three quarters of a century has hinged on their appeal to all audiences. The recent BATMAN and SUPERMAN films have excluded younger viewers, I think, to the detriment of the characters’ longterm viability.

I took my 7-year-old nephew to see MAN OF STEEL (2013) and regretted it; he was bored, and the character engaged in behavior that I found unrecognizable as a lifelong fan. That experience, and the more adult DARK KNIGHT films, has helped to make my nephew a “Marvel kid” instead of a “DC kid.” And the continuing mastery of the Disney Marvel films, with a style that appeals to audiences of all ages, has only solidified that.

While the tone of SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN II may have been light, it certainly wasn’t comedic, broad or otherwise. The very grown-up courtship between Superman and Lois plays a key role in the first movie and is quite literally conjugated in SUPERMAN II. But, while Superman getting busy with Lois is at the core of the second film, it’s still an exciting action movie that’s suitable for the whole family. I have very clear memories of seeing both SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN II in the theater with my grandmother. I doubt there were many multi-generational outings to MAN OF STEEL, nor will there be to BATMAN v. SUPERMAN.

As for the 1966 Batman TV series, I get the fact that some hardcore fans don’t find that to be an accurate depiction of the character, and never will. But even Warner Bros. disagrees with you about it being passe, as demonstrated by the huge promotional push the studio has made for the DVD and Blu-ray release, and the extensive marketing of West and Ward’s likenesses. Nearly 50 years after the TV show debuted, Warner Bros acknowledges that Adam West’s is the most lasting, iconic and marketable portrayal of Batman. Will audiences remember Ben Affleck’s Batman and Henry Cavil’s Superman half a century from now?

Better question: will they even know who Ben Affleck or Henry Cavil are?

I liked both trailers and am ready to see “B v S” next year. My question to you Will is, what do you think of the idea of casting Ben Affleck in such an iconic role. I thought he was getting his career on track ( “Argo” “Gone Baby Gone” ) after the debacle of having an affair with Jennifer Lopez. ( You DO know that ruined ALL his credibility. ) If he “ruins” Batman ( can he? ) his career is over. Your thoughts?

Meta

I'm a New York City-based writer, video producer, print journalist, radio/podcast host, and social media influencer. I've been a guest on Turner Classic Movies (interviewed by Robert Osborne), NPR, Sirius Satellite Radio, and the official TCM podcast. My byline has appeared in Slate.com and more than 100 times in the pages of NYC alt weeklies like The Villager and Gay City News. I'm also a social media copywriter for Sony's getTV and a contributor to four film-and-TV-related books: "Monster Serial," "Bride of Monster Serial," "Taste the Blood of Monster Serial," and "Remembering Jonathan Frid."